Prefabricated gun receiver



Jan. 13, 1959 R. F. WINDSTRUP 2,863,083

PREFABRICATED GUN RECEIVER Filed Sept. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 13, 1959 R. F; 'WINDSTRUP Y PREFABRICATED GUN RECEIVER INVENTOR. Rub EFL F. Windslrup fl orneys.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1955 PREFABRICATED GUN RECEIVER Robert F. Windstrup, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, -to--the United States of America as representedbythe-Secretary of the Army Application September 21, 1955, Serial No. 535,775

2 Claims. (Cl. 89-199) My invention relates to a machine gun and more particularly to a receiver therefor and the primary object of my invention is to provide such a weapon with a receiver constructed for rapid assembly and disassembly of the gun.

Another object of my invention is to provide an efficient receiver of simple prefabricated construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide the gun With a receiver constructed for rapid engagement with and disengagement from the other components of the gun.

Other aims and objects will appear from the following explanation:

In carrying out my invention, a machine gun, provided with a barrel extension and a barrel disposed for bayonet connection therein, includes a receiver having body and bearing sections and a cover. The sides of the body section are formed of channels with parallel webs and adjacent irregular flanges, with the top flanges joined by a plurality of rectangular plates.

The bearing section is bolted to the front of the body section and disposed for slidable support of the barrel of the gun. Trunnions are provided on the bearing section and a recoil device is secured thereto for engagement of the device with the barrel extension to transmit to the mount of the gun recoil and counter-recoil forces of the barrel resulting from discharge of a cartridge there- 1n.

The webs of the channels are provided with axial grooves for supporting a buffer removably secured to the cover and the cover is provided with a pair of transverse holes axially spaced for selective pin connection with the webs to adjust the buffer.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, attention is directed to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a machine gun incorporating my invention with trunnions for horizontal mounting of the gun in the wing of an aircraft;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the gun shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a continuation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the major assemblies of the gun;

Fig. 5 is a view along line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view along line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view along lines 77 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view partly cut away of sections of the receiver.

Accordingly, a machine gun 12 includes a receiver 14 with a pair of longitudinal channels 16, having webs 18, with adjacent top and bottom flanges and 22, respectively (as shown in Figs. 5 and 8). Webs 18 are spaced to form sides of a main section 24 of the receiver by means of longitudinally spaced top plates 26, 28 and 30 and a bottom plate 32 (as shown in Figs. 1 and 8). A bearing section 34 of receiver 14 is secured to the forward end of the main section by structural bolts 35, for

slidably supporting a barrel assembly including a ,bar-

- Recoil. units 48.,are. .disposed between bearing section ,,34 .and ,the. bar-i7el .assembly,to; transmit recoil andcounterrecoil forces to the gun mount.

Plungers 52 of the recoil units are fluted and a pair of bifurcated flange members 54 secured to hearing section 34 are provided with set-screws 56 for engagement with the flutes to secure the plungers in position with respect to barrel extension 42. A bifurcated portion 58 of barrel extension 42 projecting into main section 24 includes an adjacent pair of grooves 60 for slidable operation of an operating bolt 62 therein (as shown in Fig. 6).

A bolt return assembly 64 includes a shell 66 with ribs 68 thereon for engagement with grooves 70 provided in webs 18. The return assembly is provided with a buffer with a piston 72 and cylindrical portion 74 of shell 66, partially inclosing a pair of bolt return springs 76. Shell 66 is provided with a T-projection 78 for removable engagement with a corresponding slot in a cover 80.

Cover 80 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced transverse holes 82 and main section 24 includes a pair of transverse holes 84. A pin 86 is selectively received by holes 84 and 82 to position the cover in main section 24 for bolt return adjustment.

Stops 88 with transverse holes 90 are disposed within cylindrical portion 74 for engagement with springs 76.

Pins 92 are selectively received by holes 90 and a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse holes 94 in cylindrical portion 74 for adjustment of springs 76. Stops 88 and operating bolt 62 are provided, respectively, with telescoping rods 96 and 98 to support the uninclosed portions of springs 76.

A gas-charged feeder 100 includes a rib 102 at one end for engagement with a groove 104 of main section 24 and a pin 106 maintains the engagement by securing the opposite end of feeder 100 to the main section. Feeder 100 includes a lever 108 projecting into main section 24 for engagement with bolt 62, for removal of cartridges from feeder 100.

Operating bolt 62 slides in a rearward stroke responsive to gas from the discharge of cartridge 40 and the bolt includes an extraction mechanism (not shown) for removing the shell of cartridge 40 from barrel 36 in the rearward stroke. The operating bolt 62 is returned to battery position in a forward stroke responsive to the bias of springs 76 which are loaded during the rear- Ward stroke, and the operating bolt is disposed to ram a cartridge 40, supplied from feeder 100 into barrel 36 on the forward stroke.

It is clear from the foregoing that removal of pins 86 and 106 from main section 24 permits bolt return assembly 64 and feeder 100 to be removed from main section 24. Bolt 62 can then be removed rearwardly from the gun.

Main section 24 is secured to the bearing section 34 by structural bolts 35 to retain springs 76 in main section 24. When structural bolts 35 are removed, operating bolt 62 remains in barrel extension 42 to be removed forwardly from main section 24. Fig. 4 shows the four principal units of gun 12 disposed for assembly to complete the gun by pins 86, 106, and structural bolts 35.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. A' gun comprising a receiver with inain and bearing sections and-structural bolts connecting said sections, a barrelassembly slidably disposed insaid bearing section and provided with an extension, a recoil device for engagement between said assembly and said bearing 10 section, a bolt return device and a pin for connectionof saidbolt-return-device tosaid-receiver, and an operating'boltaxially slidable-in-said extension, said structural I bolts and said pin being removable from said sections 5 pin for removable connection of said feeder to said receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

